SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INSTALLING SOLAR PANELS

• US 20170077710A1
• Filed: 09/20/2016
• Published: 03/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safeconnect Solar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Energy Development LLC (Arch Resources, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cunningham, Brian, Duda, Mark, Georgopapadakos, Todd, Sato, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 10,367,357 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/12 Parallel operation of dc generators with converters, e.g. with mercury-arc rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2300/24 of photovoltaic origin
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/38 Arrangements for parallely feeding a single network by two or more generators, converters or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/381 Dispersed generators
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 3/46 Controlling of the sharing of output between the generators, converters, or transformers
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/34 comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/56 Power conversion systems, e.g. maximum power point trackers

Abstract

A solar panel system for determining how many solar panels connected to a controller is provided. An electrical pathway connects the controller to at least one solar panel. A first resistance is associated with each of the at least one solar panel. An external environment resistance is defined by a cumulative presence of at least the first resistance associated with each of the at least one solar panel, wherein the external environment resistance is different based on a total number of the at least one solar panels connected to the electrical pathway. A second resistance is associated with the controller. The external environment resistance and the second resistance at least partially define a voltage divider to receive an input voltage and produce an output voltage. The controller is programmed to determine from the produced output voltage the total number of the at least one solar panel connected to the controller along the electrical pathway.

Claims

1. A solar panel system for determining how many solar panels connected to a controller, comprising;

an electrical pathway connecting the controller to at least one solar panel;

a first resistance associated with each of the at least one solar panel;

an external environment resistance defined by a cumulative presence of at least the first resistance associated with each of the at least one solar panel, wherein the external environment resistance is different based on a total number of the at least one solar panels connected to the electrical pathway;

a second resistance associated with the controller;

the external environment resistance and the second resistance at least partially define a voltage divider to receive an input voltage and produce an output voltage;

the controller being programmed to determine from the produced output voltage the total number of the at least one solar panel connected to the controller along the electrical pathway.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a data table listing various predicted output voltages of the voltage divider and corresponding known configurations of solar panels; and

the controller being programmed to determine from the produced output voltage the total number of the at least one solar panel connected to the controller comprising matching the produced output voltage to a predicted output voltage from the table to identify a matching number of panels.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the first resistance is within (a) its corresponding solar panel, (b) a cable connecting adjacent solar panels and/or the controller, or (c) an independent connector between the cable and the its corresponding solar panel.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to determine an unconnected connector in the electrical pathway based on at least the produced output voltage.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the electrical pathway includes at least two power pathways, a return pathway, and a signal pathway; and

the signal pathway and the return pathway at least partially define a circuit loop that partially defines the voltage divider.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least two power pathways connect the at least one solar panels in series, and the first resistance for each of the at least one solar panel comprises a resistor in parallel between the signal pathway and the return pathway.

8. The system of claim 7, the system further comprising an end cap connected to a furthest downstream panel in the series, the end cap having a third resistance in parallel between the signal pathway and the return pathway that at least partially defines the voltage divider.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the at least two power pathways connect the at least one solar panels in parallel, and the first resistance comprises a resistor in series in the signal pathway.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

the controller being programmed to be aware of an independently derived count of the total number of the at least one solar panel;

the controller being programmed to disable flow of utility power in response to the second count being different than the total number of panels determined from the produced output voltage.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second count is derived from a capacitive current draw of the panels.

5. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller is programmed to determine a location in the electrical pathway of an unconnected connector based on at least the produced output voltage.

12. A controller for a solar panel system for how many solar panels are connected to the controller, comprising;

an interface connectable an electrical pathway connecting the controller to the number of solar panels, each of the solar panels having a first resistance;

a second resistance associated with the controller, the second resistance defining at least a portion of a voltage divider;

the controller being programmed to;

apply an input voltage to the voltage divider;

receive an output voltage from the voltage divider;

determine from the output voltage the number of solar panels connected to the controller by the electrical pathway;

wherein when the interface is connected by the electrical pathway to the number of solar panels, a collective resistance of the first resistance of each of the number of solar panels partially defines the voltage divider such that the output voltage varies based on how many solar panels are connected.

13. The controller of claim 12, further comprising:

a data table listing various predicted output voltages of the voltage divider and corresponding known configurations of solar panels; and

the controller being programmed to determine from the produced output voltage the total number of the at least one solar panel connected to the controller comprising matching the produced output voltage to a predicted output voltage from the table to identify a matching number of panels.

14. The controller of claim 12, wherein the controller is programmed to determine an unconnected connector in the electrical pathway based on at least the produced output voltage.

15. The controller of claim 12, wherein the controller is programmed to determine a location in the electrical pathway of an unconnected connector based on at least the produced output voltage.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

the controller being programmed to be aware of an independently derived count of the total number of the at least one solar panel;

the controller being programmed to disable flow of utility power in response to the second count being different than the total number of panels determined from the produced output voltage.

17. A solar panel system, comprising:

a plurality of solar panels, each panel having an associated passive element that is configured to modulate a signal, each panel configured to generate utility power and to transmit information including the signal as modulated by the passive element, the information being distinct from the utility power;

an input connector, configured to receive the power from the solar panels and the information from the solar panels;

an output, configured to forward the utility power from the solar panels for end consumption;

a cable configured to connect to the plurality of solar panels and the input connector, and having a power pathway for passing the power to the input connector, and having a data pathway distinct from the power pathway, for passing the information to the input connector;

the controller comprising hardware in combination with software, the controller being programmed to;

first determine the total number of solar panels electrically connected to the input connector from modulated signals in the information received at the input connector;

second determine whether the total number of solar panels exceeds a predetermined threshold;

enable the flow of power to the output in response to at least the total number of the solar panels counted by the controller is determined by the controller to be within a first threshold; and

disable the flow of power in response to the total number of the solar panels counted by the controller is determined by the controller to exceed the first threshold.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the passive element is a resistor.